I am trimming out a half brick wall in the entry way of my house. I hear a scrapping noise and look over to see my three year old running my block plane over the bricks. If anyone other than my son would have done that I would have fell over with a heart attack, but all I did was look over laugh and take the plane away from him. He wants to help me with everything I do. I am enjoying it because I know that it won’t last for long.
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Replies
Time to give that kid a wooden toolbox kit that he can easily assemble, then start adding tools to it!
He has his own, but none that are as fun to play with as dad's.
You remind me of my younger sister, age about 7, using my Dad's carpenter saw, trying to cut a wheel off her trycycle to make a "two wheeler".
Frosty
miller,
Reminds me of the time I was delivering a dining table I'd built, mahogany with a 2" wide satinwood crossbanding around the top. My son and I had placed the table and the lady of the house followed us outside to help get the extension leaves and bring them in. When we returned to the dining room, her 3-4 yr old son was racing a matchbox car around the oval "racetrack" on top of the table. Thought she was gonna have a conniption right there.
Ray
You got to love those kids and the crazy things they do, or else you will go insane.
My helpers have pulled that stunt on a cinderblock!
count your blessings, you have a beautiful family!!!
Yes, a true blessing.
As a bachelor I have to say that when i first read this thread I was stunned into disbelief. If that happend to me i would be having a fit. But then again maybe with kids you tend to mellow out or some such.
Doug Meyer
Doug,I'm kind of the opposite extreme from a bachelor - a grandfather. All I can say is that if my young grandson or granddaughter would show enough interest in woodworking to want to run a plane over some bricks, stone, cinderblock, whatever - I would be tickled pink. I would have to spend some considerable time and effort to fix the tool, but it would also be a clear sign of *many* more hours of pleasure sharing one of my primary interests with them.You are right, becoming a parent (and grandparent) does change your perspective on many things. Years ago, before we had children, I would not have felt the same if somebody else's child damaged one of my prized tools.Good luck,
Richard Baker
Trust me , it is indeed true that things change with fatherhood. They change again with grandfatherhood. Beyond that I can't testify to. At the time of the birth one finds that the axis of the Earth has shifted over to pass through the baby's bed. It's amazing.
Tom
Thank you all for your replies. I enjoyed all of your stories.
as a father of a 2 year old boy, all i can say is i need ot by more screwdrivers due to all the ones i own today are in his tool box. It will give me pleasure to go buy more.
today we went to woodcraft and bought a festool box. for me not him i am not that nice and a saw.
it was the time that i get to spend with my kids is worth all the cost to replace or donate the tools i have.
enjoy them them now becouse they will grow up and be like me 15 year old and pull his shirt up to cover his mouth before he comes in the shop.
david
Well, when they are your own kids you become more tolerant. Someone else's kids would drive me nuts. If someone else's kid would have done that I would have thought to myself, my child would never do that.
You have a beautiful family. Two kids are all I can handle. You must have nerves of steel, or a nanny.
That reminds me of a funny story from my own childhood. One day my Mom's hair dryer broke. Thinking that I could fix it (like Dad) I rescued the item from the trash can, and off I went to Dad's shop. A noble sentiment, but I was really little and had no idea how to fix anything. I don't remember all the details, but two things stand out pretty clearly. It was exceptionally difficult to get the cover off the hair dryer, but after a great deal of pounding and prying I succeeded. The other thing I recall is that my dad's face went kind of pale when he walked into the shop and realized that I was attempting to "fix" the hair dryer with his set of nice carving chisels.
When I was very young my mother came in my room and I had taken my baby bed apart with my plastic tool set.
My daughter is 17 months old and her thing is putting stuff away, in the trash. So it is not uncommon for me to find tools and hardware in the garbage can after searching relentlessly for sometimes hours.
She is also employed when I need to distress repairs. Something about the randomness of thrashing a piece of furniture with keys and a small mallet that I cannot seem to duplicate.
J.P.
JP,
My 18 mo old is the only one who volunterred to join me at the WW show in Springfield MA this past weekend. She was great, for 1 hr. Then it was time to go. I had the best of both worlds, WW and my daughter, and we had lunch before heading home. Great, great memories already.
Joe P
Joe,Its a great age. Their curiosity is boundless, yet the attention span is still quite limited.Lots of fun though. I believe this is the time/grace period that parents have before the kids learn to talk back.J.P.http://www.jpkfinefurniture.com
They grow up really fast. Before long they won't throw anything away, they leave it in couch cushions, under furniture, anywhere it is convenient.
Miler, Some time ago, (it was summer and saturday,) when I drove to my cousin's house to possibly borrow a tool he had borrowed from me. He was not at home as he was on an emergency call.
As I approached his home, I noticed his wife edging his beautiful lawn..
....using a Diston carpenters saw.
When I inquired about the tool, she said it was delivered that day and she thought her husband had bought her another 'gardening gadget'.
Steinmetz.
That would never happen at my house. Anytime something is delivered my wife knows I went and bought another tool.
My father just laughs and reminds me that I left his best saw in the rain when I was the same age my oldest son is now every time I tell him a story like that.
Honestly, I'm glad that my son is showing an interest. He loves to saw, and wants to build a doll house to give as a present to a friend of his. Time with my son, doing something I enjoy. How can I say no to that?
Rizzo the Rat, A Muppet Christmas Carol
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